Railway gantry built behind pensioner's garden

A Kings Langley pensioner is "resigned" to the fact that there will be a new signalling gantry at the back of her garden.

Sally Davies, of Hamilton Road, believes that Network Rail should have informed her about plans to build a new signalling gantry at the bottom of her garden.

It was only when Ms Davies and her husband, Ken, were clearing away rubble from behind their shed, that they discovered foundations for a new gantry had already been installed.

She said: "There is already a signalling gantry that is only a stones throw away and the work being done looked exactly the same as the bottom of that signalling gantry.

"Workmen were doing more work and when we asked them, they confirmed it would be a new signalling gantry.

"It makes me feel a bit resigned. I probably was angry that they didn’t have the courtesy to let me know.

"I would say I’m not concerned because there is nothing that I can do about it and we will just have to live with it.

Ms Davies contacted Network Rail about the work being and has also written to Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport and Watford's Conservative MP, Richard Harrington.

The pensioner told the Watford Observer the only correspondence they have received was a letter in June, "to say that there will be signalling work between Kenton and Kings Langley."

The grandmother of two added: "I am aware they can do what they want, they do not have to consult. I just felt if they are going to do something like this, they should just inform people. It is just good neighbourliness.

"I have a feeling that they have a huge amount of time to respond. It certainly is a long long time for them to respond."

In September, residents in Carpenders Park were also angry about being "kept in the dark" over similar plans to install a new gantry directly opposite their flats.

Russell Spink, chief press officer for Network Rail said: "The gantry has been erected as part of an £81m project to upgrade the railway around Watford. The project will deliver significant benefits to passengers in the form of smoother, quicker and more reliable train journeys in the future.

"When deciding on the position of structures such as signalling gantries, we do try to choose locations away from residential areas if we can, but sometimes this is unavoidable.

"We have a limited choice of where we can site signals which is governed by the layout of the railway and the speed that trains need to travel in that area. Also, for safety reasons we need to site signals so that the train driver can see the signal from the longest distance available and therefore has the maximum time to react.

"It is our policy to pre-notify residents in advance when carrying out any work such as this."

Comments (7)

So what's the problem with a signal gantry at the bottom of your garden? especially as you obviously didn't hear the ground works taking place.

Why is it people buy properties next to the Railways, then complain about said Railways making noise? I mean, it's not as if they built the Network after you moved in. Some people just need to whinge about something and it's a crying shame the W.O. gives them the platform to do so.

Give us some local NEWS of interest - where's the coverage of the fire in Moor View last week?

So what's the problem with a signal gantry at the bottom of your garden? especially as you obviously didn't hear the ground works taking place.
Why is it people buy properties next to the Railways, then complain about said Railways making noise? I mean, it's not as if they built the Network after you moved in. Some people just need to whinge about something and it's a crying shame the W.O. gives them the platform to do so.
Give us some local NEWS of interest - where's the coverage of the fire in Moor View last week?Keefer

I would love it.
I have a railway IN MY GARDEN. so having a big` railway at the bottom of the garden would be brilliant.
When I watch these house programmes on TV and they say "There is one major problem as a railway runs by the house" I think I would love that.

I would love it.
I have a railway IN MY GARDEN. so having a big` railway at the bottom of the garden would be brilliant.
When I watch these house programmes on TV and they say "There is one major problem as a railway runs by the house" I think I would love that.queenyfan